The Black Sheep
by SylvirTheGreat
Summary: Sirius Black was very different from the rest of his family. And during his time at Hogwarts, he was determined to prove that. Marauders Era, Black family-centric. No Peter Pettigrew.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I  
The Dinner Party

Dinner parties at 12 Grimmauld Place were no small affair. The long mahogany dining table would be adorned with rich tablecloths, expensive and smooth to the touch, the slender candles on the gold chandelier would be carefully lit, and the crystals that hung from it polished. Though the spirit was indeed always festive, there was no doubt that the reason behind the lavish celebrations was not Lord and Lady Black's delight and excitement, and certainly not their desire to meet the relations whose existence they were otherwise so quick to forget. Nevertheless, most found they didn't particularly mind spending their evening at the Blacks' table, as long as the wine was costly and the atmosphere peaceful. It could even be called enjoyable on the rare occasion that the hot-blooded family was in a good mood.

That was certainly not the case on one seventh of November in 1970. It started off as any other dinner party, with the laconic Orion Black briefly thanking his many guests and raising his silver goblet to a toast. As the evening progressed, however, and the night drew nearer, the drunken laughter faded and the mirthful expressions turned to disapproving glares. Young Sirius Black, just eleven years old and heir to the noble line's fortune, sobered up and slowly placed the wine pitcher back on the table as he realized they were, not for the first time, directed at him.

It didn't bother him much. Especially since he found his family's reasons for berating him rather unimportant. But this was different. His brother had let his secret slip in front of the entire House, in front of every guest his mother and father desperately tried to impress.

"Is that so, Sirius?" Uncle Cygnus asked coolly. "You've been going behind your parents' back, and to meet Muggle children no less?" He glanced briefly at Orion. "How _dishonorable_." Neither Orion, nor his wife Walburga missed the mocking tone. The implication that _his_ children would never do such a thing.

Sirius shrugged awkwardly. "They live just next door, I thought maybe I could play with them..." He trailed off, glancing nervously at his mother.

" _Play_ with them?" Walburga demanded. "You wanted to _play_ with them, Sirius? You – the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black – a young man with his Hogwarts letter already in his hands, a _wizard_ , wanted to partake in foolish children's games? And with this– this _filth_ , no less?"

"He's a child, Walburga–"

"He's a fool, Alphard! A fool who doesn't know his place in this world!"

Sirius was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable. He should have never told Regulus

"Is that so, Sirius?" Uncle Cygnus asked coolly. "You've been going behind your parents' back, and to meet Muggle children no less?" He glanced briefly at Orion. "How _dishonorable_." Neither Orion, nor his wife Walburga missed the mocking tone. The implication that _his_ children would never do such a thing.

Sirius shrugged awkwardly. "They live just next door, I thought maybe I could play with them..." He trailed off, glancing nervously at his mother.

" _Play_ with them?" Walburga demanded. "You wanted to _play_ with them, Sirius? You – the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black – a young man with his Hogwarts letter already in his hands, a _wizard_ , wanted to partake in foolish children's games? And with this– this _filth_ , no less?"

"He's a child, Walburga–"

"He's a fool, Alphard! A fool who doesn't know his place in this world!"

Sirius was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable. He should have never told Regulus, now everyone was staring at him, and his mother was furious. He hadn't even known the Muggle boys were bad; they had been really nice, even though they'd laughed at him for not knowing what "hide and seek" was. They'd asked him why he was wearing robes too. With a look at their blue trousers and plain shirts, Sirius had been able to tell the Muggles preferred a different attire. Thankfully, the date had allowed him to reply that he was simply excited for Halloween. They'd accepted that answer and even shared their chocolate with him. Sirius rather liked it, but he knew better than to say that out loud.

"No son of mine, no _heir_ of mine, will associate with filthy Muggles; Mudbloods, inferiors, these creatures are dangerous, they're aggressive!"

"Well you're not very peaceful right now either," Sirius mumbled under his breath, folding his arms over his chest defensively.

Walburga rose abruptly from her chair. Her stormy grey eyes widened and her face turned red in anger, then white, then purple. Her firstborn watched in horror as her angular jaw clenched. Suddenly, her goblet flew at him with force. Sirius didn't manage to duck. She leaned forward threateningly and placed her hands on the table, her esteemed guests' presence suddenly forgotten. "You will learn respect, Sirius." Her voice was quiet, monotonous, forceful.

Sirius looked at his wine-stained robes and cringed. The goblet hadn't been particularly light either, but it was easier to focus on the mess. He was vaguely aware of his uncle Alphard grabbing him by the shoulders and steering him towards the stairs. Andromeda was following close behind, holding Regulus and Narcissa by the hand. Walburga could be heard screaming at them to come back, but they didn't turn to look back.

Alphard shoved the four children into the room. "Stay quiet," he warned. "I'll take care of her." With that, he shut the door, leaving them in a stunned silence.

Narcissa was, surprisingly, the first to break it. "You should have stayed quiet, Sirius."

Sirius felt the anger in him rise. He was mad – at his mother for humiliating him, at Regulus for spilling his secret, at Narcissa for thinking she knew better. "Me?" he demanded. "Regulus was the one who couldn't keep his bloody mouth shut!"

Regulus winced. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It slipped…"

"Slipped," Sirius repeated furiously.

Narcissa sniffed in distaste. "Come on, Reg, Meda, let's get back to the dinner."

Andromeda shook her head. "You go on, I think I'll have a word with Sirius first."

Once the two were alone, a tense silence fell. Sirius didn't look at his cousin. He didn't try to explain himself either. Everyone was mad at him; it was pointless. But Andromeda's disappointment would hurt the most. She was his favourite, his only solace while he was stuck with his family. He loved her even more than Regulus.

Andromeda, meanwhile, was trying to put the whirlwind of thoughts in her head into proper words. It hurt to see her typically energetic cousin this withdrawn, and it hurt even more to know that his only chance for redemption was to accept the hatred their family spouted. "Sirius," she began softly, "how often did this happen? How many times did you sneak out?"

He shrugged. "Three or four," he said with feigned nonchalance. "One of them knows about magic though. His brother's a Mud– a Muggleborn, a third-year Ravenclaw."

Andromeda didn't respond immediately. "You're going to Hogwarts next year. You'll have to make a choice," she finally said. "Between our family and your principles."

Sirius looked on nervously. This wasn't fair. If the Muggleborns and the blood traitors at Hogwarts were as nice as the Muggle boys in Grimmauld Place, it would be really difficult to make that choice.

"It's not an easy decision, Sirius. But I've made it already and I'll help you through it."

Sirius looked up in surprise. "What?" He felt completely bewildered, what was Andromeda talking about?

"I'm seeing someone, Siri. Secretly"

"Rabastan? You're his betrothed, aren't you? Why is it a secret?"

"I am," she admitted slowly. "But that's not who I'm seeing. I met a Muggleborn. His name is Ted, and he's in Hufflepuff. Excellent combination, isn't it? If you think Aunt Walburga's reaction to you playing with the neighbourhood boys was bad, you'll hate to see what happens when I tell them."

"No!" Sirius cried. "You can't tell them! You _can't_ , Meda! They'll kill you!" He didn't expect this betrayal from his cousin, she always seemed so flawless, so perfect. She was beautiful and intelligent, her marks at Hogwarts were outstanding, her professors liked her, Rabastan was infatuated with her. How could she do this?

"Now, Sirius, I expect that you'll keep this a secret. I'm not telling you this to ask for reassurance. I _know_ you can't be like them, and I want to let you know I'm on your side."

Sirius nodded slowly. "What if I become friends with a Mudbl– sorry, a Muggleborn? Or a blood traitor, or if…" A scandalous thought struck him suddenly. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "What if I'm not in Slytherin, Andromeda? What if I'm in some other house?"

"Then I guess we'll just have to accept it," she said with a small smile.

Sirius smiled back. He couldn't help it; his cousin really was a godsend. He leaned into her embrace and let her comfort him until the late hours of the night, when Regulus tiredly stumbled in to apologize and wish him goodnight.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II  
A Strange Sorting

The following months were a blur to Sirius. A blur of his mother's stern remarks and his father's glares and sighs; flying in the garden of their country cottage on weekends, scheming with Andromeda whenever Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella would come over, listening to his private tutors' endless drawling. It did occasionally get lonely, especially on days when his mother would spell his room locked and forbid his exit, as well as everyone else's entry, due to his misbehaviour, but life at Grimmauld Place wasn't always lonesome and miserable. Andromeda made sure of that; she would tell him stories about her secret adventures with that Hufflepuff Ted and show him the Muggle books and songs he'd gifted her. Sirius found them fascinating.

Nevertheless, he could hardly mask his delight when September rolled around. He wasn't expected to, either; attending Hogwarts was a great honour. Even his mother's behaviour towards him turned from cruel and indifferent to something which Sirius could only describe as smug.

"My little Slytherin," she'd croon. "I know you'll make us proud, we Blacks are powerful wizards, rivalled by none."

He'd received his wand three days before the first of September – long and sturdy, made of apple wood and a core of dragon heartstring. Uncle Alphard had told him that the Ministry of Magic wouldn't trace any underage activity in pure-blood households, as it was much more difficult and time-consuming, not to mention pointless, considering it would not be regarded as a violation of the Statute of Secrecy. Thus Sirius practiced his first spells and incantations in the confines of his bedroom, far from his mother's intimidating glare and Bella's mocking sneer. He had, of course, invited Regulus to watch once or twice too; the younger boy showed great interest in his brother's work, and Sirius appreciated having someone who looked up to him.

It wasn't long before Sirius was standing with his trunk and his owl on Platform 9 ¾, although it had seemed like an eternity of waiting. His parents and brother were trailing close behind, the former two with stern, uninviting looks, the latter trying in vain to conceal his excitement and envy.

"I trust you haven't forgotten anything, son."

"No, father, I've got everything with me. I'll be fine."

"I trust you will. Make us proud."

Sirius nodded obediently. Internally, however, exhilaration and eagerness burned in him. Hogwarts was out there, waiting, waiting far away from the traditions and restrictions of the Black household. Waiting for him to prove himself as a great wizard and a good friend, and not just the heir of a hateful line.

He took advantage of his parents' momentary distraction and hugged Regulus tightly. Affection was strictly forbidden in the Blacks' home. Affection was a sign of weakness, and Blacks were not weak. But it didn't matter, because he wouldn't be living with _them_ anymore. He'd be at Hogwarts, and they couldn't control him there.

"Goodbye, mother, father, I will see you at Chr– Yuletide."

Sirius didn't wait for the stony nods he was sure they'd offer; he simply grabbed his trunk and hurried into the Hogwarts Express, the magnificent red steam engine that whistled invitingly at him.

Most of the compartments were full. Despite his courage, which Narcissa ofttimes described as arrogance, he wasn't willing to seat himself near the older students, nor did he want to intrude on Andromeda. So he dragged his trunk to the back of the train, until he found a compartment with just one boy sitting in it. Sirius could easily tell by his small stature and palpable excitement that he was also a first year.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Not at all!" the boy said. "I'm James Potter." There was a self-assured quality to his voice which Sirius didn't particularly like, but for the first time he decided to keep his thoughts to himself. It wouldn't do to push a potential friend away before they'd even come to know each other.

"I'm Sirius," he responded, taking a seat across the boy.

The boy – James – snorted. "Nice name," he said as he ran his fingers through his messy black hair. "Got a surname to go with it?"

Sirius scowled. "No." He may not have ever liked pure-blood history and politics classes, but he knew who the Potters were, and was sure that if he were to share his surname, they likely wouldn't become the very best of friends. Realistically he knew his surname would be revealed sooner or later, but he wanted to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible.

James shrugged. "What house do you think you'll be in?" he asked. Puffing out his chest, he announced, "I'll be a Gryffindor for sure! Like my dad and my granddad. Everyone in my family was a Gryffindor."

Sirius just shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. What house _would_ he be in? Slytherin, probably. Like every other Black to have ever lived. He wasn't sure he wanted that anymore though, not after everything his cousin had opened his eyes to.

So what happened if he wasn't? Andromeda had said she'd still love him, but what would become of him? Was that even possible? "I don't really know," he finally said. "But I think I'll be happy with any house. Except maybe Slytherin."

James nodded emphatically. "We can agree there."

Talking with James was easy; he was excitable and funny, and he didn't press Sirius for information. They looked for common interests, and quickly found Quidditch and practical jokes to be two of them.

"Puddlemere United," James insisted.

Sirius shook his head. "Montrose Magpies."

"Overrated," said James.

Sirius was just about to argue when the compartment door opened. A rather small first-year wearing Muggle clothing appeared behind it. He blushed once he caught sight of James and Sirius. "May I sit here?" he asked politely. "The other compartments are really full."

James quickly invited him over and introduced himself and Sirius.

The boy stared at them with wide, curious brown eyes. "I'm Remus," he said after a pause. He didn't say anything after that. Instead he retrieved a thick book from his battered trunk and buried his face in it, choosing not to pursue further acquaintance.

Unfortunately for him, Sirius thought, James didn't seem to register that. "So," he began.

Remus didn't react. Whether because he didn't realise he was being addressed, or because he didn't care, neither of the other boys could tell.

"So," James repeated louder, emphasizing the word. "Remus, what do you do for fun?"

The question seemed to startle him. "Uh… I like to read, I guess." His voice was quiet, but his enunciation was very clear.

"That's it?" James asked incredulously. "You read?!"

Remus shrugged. James's attention seemed to make him anxious, and it was clear he wanted to return to his book.

"Are you a Muggleborn?" Sirius asked suddenly. He wouldn't shun the boy, of course, but he couldn't help but wonder. It would explain some of his nervousness. "We don't mind anyway, do we, James? We're just curious."

"Half-blood," Remus answered shortly. "My father's a half-blood too, my mother's a Muggle." He eyed the other two boys carefully. "Are you pure-bloods?"

Both boys nodded, though Sirius caught himself. He couldn't let them know who he was, they'd despise him instantly. What with Bellatrix's reputation as a cruel, belittling witch, he was sure he wouldn't be particularly popular. He realised then how much worse it must be for Andromeda, who was even often confused for her much less pleasant sister.

 _Speak of the Devil_ , he thought darkly as the door flew open again. Bellatrix Black stood there in all her glory, formidable as ever, her violet eyes shining with a glint Sirius could only describe as dangerous. "My dearest cousin," she cooed, sending shivers down Sirius's spine. "I knew this was where I'd find you." Her tone changed abruptly, hardening with revulsion. "With the likes of blood traitors and… whatever that _thing_ is."

Sirius shot up from his seat. "How dare you?" he snarled. "You can't talk this way about them!" He drew his wand, but Bellatrix only laughed lazily, drawing her own in response.

"Don't test me, little cousin. You've betrayed the House of Black once, I won't let you do it again. Shall you shame us again, you will face the consequences I deem fitting." Her eyes flashed with fury. "Understood?"

Sirius clenched his jaw. "I don't answer to you, Bellatrix," he said stonily. "I can tell right from wrong for myself, thank you." A cocky smile formed on his lips, making him look braver than he felt. "I can teach you too someday."

The moment Sirius said that, he realised it had been a terrible mistake.

He could almost already feel the curse that was about to roll off Bellatrix's tongue. Her wand was drawn back and her expression was wild. Though his wand was drawn, and James was already on his feet, ready to strike, Sirius knew the battle was lost. Bellatrix was not only the most skilled duelist in her entire house; she was completely unrestricted by the morals that prevented the majority of the Wizarding World from using potentially fatal curses. That in itself made her a rather daunting enemy, especially for two frightened first-year boys who had only recently learned which side of the wand to grab.

What Sirius did not expect was the abrupt interference of a familiar face. It was nothing short of a miracle, the way Andromeda, suddenly at the doorway, grabbed her sister's arm and twisted it back before pushing her outside. Bellatrix was quickly restrained by two sixth year Hufflepuffs; she could be heard shrieking, thrashing, spitting curses and threats she would inevitably carry out.

Andromeda was clearly out of breath when she forcefully slammed the compartment door shut behind her. "Sirius, _please_ be careful," she said. "You know what Bellatrix is like, you've got to watch your mouth around her. I won't always be there at the right time. You could've got your friends hurt too, antagonizing her like that."

"And what was I supposed to do?" Sirius asked incredulously. "Let her insult us, maybe curse us?"

"What were you planning on doing then?" she replied. "Blocking her curses with your vast knowledge of defensive spells? Besting her in a duel with your years of experience? Sirius, there's nothing you can do at the moment. The best you can do is just bear with her."

Sirius huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"She called Remus an 'it'!" James protested. "And she said I was a blood traitor but I don't think that's a bad thing."

Sirius was quite perceptive; it was a necessary skill when living with Walburga Black and her frequent, dangerous mood swings. Hence why Remus's panicked expression and his nervous flinch did not go unnoticed. What was wrong with that boy? He had little time to dwell on it, however, as Andromeda spoke again.

"I will try to calm Bellatrix as much as possible. But after this incident, she will likely try to seek you out again. Don't give her another reason to get mad at you."

She observed the three first years for a moment before making her exit. Sirius couldn't deny he felt guilty; James and Remus could have been hurt because of his comment. He didn't really know them, but he wouldn't want them on the receiving end on Bellatrix's fury. He really would have to be more careful. Or rather, he'd have to learn to fight better. To protect his friends. Keeping quiet never helped anyone.

"Mate," James said quietly. "Your cousin is psychotic."

Sirius smiled grimly, but stayed quiet. It was honestly embarrassing how dysfunctional his family was.

"I get why you didn't want to tell me your surname. The Blacks are pretty mad."

"You have no idea," Sirius mumbled.

"You're alright though," said James. "You don't seem crazy so far."

Sirius grinned at his new friend and felt relief wash over him. He was starting to like James.

The rest of the train ride was rather uneventful. They met a fellow first year by the name of Peter, but he was quite boring in Sirius's opinion. When the journey had finally reached its end, Sirius jumped off the train as quickly as he could, hungry for a better look at the new world that awaited him.

They were lead down a steep path by an unnaturally large man, with a massive, tangled beard and sparkling black eyes. His voice sounded like thunder through the trees as he called out warnings and instructions to the silent first-years. The tension and nervousness hanging above Hogwarts' youngest students made time pass slowly, still it wasn't long before the woods thinned and the path ended, leading them to the edge of a large black lake.

The view was incredible. A great castle stood proudly on the mountain cliff, adorned with tall, sculpted towers and wide arches. The starry sky shone on the castle's grey stone walls, which were reflected in the still lake, with a surface smoother than glass.

Sirius couldn't bear to pull his gaze from the marvelous sight even as he climbed onto one of the tens of small boats at the giant's instruction. He had seen towers and castles before, but none of them had been this breathtaking.

"Wow," he heard an unfamiliar boy beside him mumble.

Even Remus had looked up from his book and seemed to be in complete awe of the sight before him.

"Can you believe this?" the boy asked in a hushed tone, "that magic is real?"

James snorted, although not mockingly. Sirius couldn't suppress his own snicker either. He found it rather entertaining, how lost Muggleborns were upon entering the Wizarding World.

"I should hope so," said James. "Can you imagine if it wasn't?"

The boy blushed. "Right," he said embarrassedly. "Professor McGonagall said there were kids whose parents had magic too. Mine don't, I'm a… what did she call it? Muggle, I think. So I don't really know what's going on yet."

"Muggleborn," Sirius corrected. "Muggles are people with no magic at all."

The boy nodded emphatically, clearly just now remembering the professor's explanation. "Yes, that. I'm Joseph, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Soon the first-years had gone through the tunnel leading them to the harbour, from which they climbed the mountainside. They marched through wet grass and vast shadows in silence. Until a cry of protest was heard, and the giant had to come to a halt. It turned out James had pulled forward a wet branch like a slingshot while walking and let go of it just as the boy behind him took a step forward, letting it hit him in the face.

"Come on, boy," the giant said gruffly, "yeh don' want ter get in trouble 'for yeh even get sorted."

James, still snickering, put his hands in his pockets and continued walking behind his fellow first-years. Once they were in the castle, a stern-looking witch with her black hair in a tight bun greeted them.

"That's Professor McGonagall," Joseph whispered excitedly.

It turned out his explanation was rather unnecessary, however, as she immediately introduced herself to them. "Before you take your seats in the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast," she said, "you will be sorted into one of the four houses – they are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. They each have a long, respectable history, and have produced outstanding witches and wizards. During your stay at Hogwarts, your excellent work and magical triumphs will earn you points for your house. However, any rulebreaking will lead to loss of house points. I expect you each to be a credit to your house, regardless of where you're sorted."

"Make sure you look presentable before entering the Great Hall," she advised. Her eyes lingered on that boy Peter's chocolate-stained robes. "Please wait quietly until I return."

She disappeared behind the chamber doors, and the first-years broke into nervous whispers.

"How exactly do they sort us?" a girl with long red hair questioned.

"I don't know," said the boy that James had hit with the tree branch.

Sirius just then realised, despite having grown up in a pure-blood household, and having three cousins already at Hogwarts, he truly had no idea what the Sorting Ceremony was like. It had simply never come up; he had always just assumed he would somehow end up in Slytherin like everyone else. Was it some sort of test?

James looked at him helplessly, clearly having the very same thoughts.

"My brother said you have to fight a troll," a short boy with blond hair said nervously.

"That's nonsense–,"

"Now," a sharp voice broke through the whispers, "form a line and follow me. The Ceremony is starting."

The Great Hall was remarkable – thousands of white candles were floating over the four long, wooden tables, laid with golden plates and goblets. Above each table hung a banner – a red and gold one with a roaring lion over the table on the left side, followed by a yellow and black one adorned with a badger. Next to it hung a blue and bronze, on which an eagle was spreading its wings, and the last one – the one on the right – was the house Sirius recognised best. A green and silver banner glittered over the table, with a snake uncoiling on the front. He scanned the table for Andromeda, who smiled and nodded reassuringly at him.

He watched anxiously as Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years, on which she placed a frayed brown hat. Sirius couldn't deny he was amused when it began to sing, but that wasn't quite enough to quench his nervousness.

As the applause died down, Professor McGonagall's voice sounded again. "When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put on the hat to be sorted."

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. That was all? That sounded a lot easier than doing spells or fighting creatures.

"Avery, Theodosius!"

Sirius recognised that name; the Avery family was often present during the numerous dinner parties held at Grimmauld Place. And sure enough, a moment later the brown-haired boy was on his way to the Slytherin table. Sirius scowled with distaste.

"Black, Sirius!"

Sirius stumbled out of the line and felt himself walk towards the stool. It felt as though his legs were made of lead, ready to snap at any moment. It was one of these moments he had to remind himself to act like a Black – confident, graceful and undisturbed. He couldn't recall ever having felt so nervous though, not even around Bellatrix. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a balding man with gooseberry green eyes smirking contently.

"Well, well," the Hat spoke in Sirius's ear, and he started. "Another Black. I've sorted many of your kind. But you're different, oh, so different."

Sirius swallowed nervously. What did that mean?

"I see a lot of potential in you, definitely a lot of cunning, but you're impulsive. A bit too impulsive. There's a lot of courage in you too; you're a brave one. Ambitious, but too selfless to fit in with Slytherin. Tell me, do you want to be in that house?"

"I guess not," thought Sirius. "I don't want to be with Bellatrix."

"Oh, but she'll be leaving Hogwarts soon, and Slytherin has put your entire family on the path to greatness."

"They're not great," Sirius thought stubbornly. "They're evil and they hate people they don't even know."

"Is that so?" the Hat said in what Sirius thought to be a challenging tone. "Better be Gryffindor!"

Sirius was shocked. Overjoyed, but nonetheless shocked. What had he done? Some students clapped politely, but the applause died down the moment they realised their pure-blood and half-blood schoolmates had failed to join. Even Professor McGonagall seemed too stunned to take the Hat off his head.

Finally, Andromeda stood up and applauded loudly. That seemed to break the rest of the Great Hall out of its trance; McGonagall grabbed the Hat from his head, the Gryffindor table cheered loudly, and the man with the gooseberry eyes stared on in disbelief.

"We got a Black!" two red-haired Gryffindors yelled tauntingly at the Slytherin table.

Sirius hurried to his table, pretending not to notice as Bellatrix banged her goblet on the table and screamed words like "traitor" and "filth" at him.

"Evans, Lily", "Lawson, David" and "Lupin, Remus" were also sorted into Gryffindor. "Maxwell, Joseph" and "McKinnon, Marlene" joined them soon after. It came as a surprise to no one that James Potter was sorted before he could even seat himself properly on the stool.

The boy James had hit – "Snape, Severus" – turned out to be a Slytherin. "Served him right then," James muttered.

Once they'd reached "Warden, Damian" who was sorted into Ravenclaw, Dumbledore stood up and smiled welcomingly at the loudly applauding students. His blue eyes twinkled and his arms were opened wide, as if being at Hogwarts was, for him too, the greatest joy there was.

"Welcome," he said loudly. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Before we begin our feast, which I am sure you are looking forward to, I would like to say a few words. Firstly, our new students should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils, as it is residence to many dangerous and rather unfriendly creatures." His twinkling gaze shifted to the direction of the two redhead Gryffindor boys. "Some of our older students need be reminded as well, I believe." Turning to the rest of the Hall, he continued. "After last year's _incident_ , practice duelling has been strictly prohibited both in the corridors and on the grounds."

This time, he did not look at the two boys, but at Bellatrix. Sirius winced. He should have known; it _always_ had something to do with her.

"And now," said Dumbledore, "Let us eat."

The tables piled with various dishes, many of which had been available in Grimmauld Place, and others which Sirius didn't recognise.

"Look! It's Nearly Headless Nick!" someone from the Gryffindor table exclaimed, pointing towards a ghost in a ruff.

The ghost looked rather insulted. "I would prefer it if you didn't call me that," he said indignantly.

"How can you be nearly headless?" asked Joseph, shoveling a forkful of potatoes into his mouth.

The demonstration was not particularly attractive, but Sirius found he didn't mind. He couldn't stop staring at the red tie that had appeared on his uniform, the lion badge on his robes. He was a _Gryffindor_. He could feel his heart swell with pride. He would not be cruel and violent like his mother and Bellatrix, or cold and cowardly like Narcissa.

"Your cousin really is going to kill you, isn't she?" said James.

Sirius shrugged, helping himself to more sausages. "Probably," he said with his mouth full. "Maybe she's had a heart attack because of me," he added hopefully.

"That's not a nice way to speak about your family," Lily Evans said with a scowl. Sirius noticed she had been pointedly ignoring him and James until that moment. "My sister is pretty mad at me for coming here, but she's still my sister."

"My parents almost didn't let me come," Joseph admitted. "They thought it was some sort of joke."

The two red-haired boys kept offering Sirius more servings. They good-naturedly pushed a few second-year students out of the way to sit beside him. "So," began one of them. "You're a Black."

Sirius nodded. "I'm not like that lot," he said defensively.

"And that's the best part," the other boy said gleefully.

"What more could we have asked for than a perfect little pure-blood snake going against a tradition of, what, four centuries? You saw what happened over there? We've never seen McGonagall _shocked_."

Sirius suddenly caught on to their train of thought and grinned. "Well, it won't be the last time," he said. "I bet I can make her lose her mind within two weeks. Right, James?"

James nodded enthusiastically. "Right! In fact, we'll start planning the moment the feast is over."

The two boys eyed them carefully before turning to look at one another. "Well then, boys," said one, "that's a challenge. Fabian and Gideon Prewett, by the way, Gryffindor legends."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. His elegant, aloof mannerisms were very similar to those of his family, but the mischievous glint in his eye set them apart. "We'll see about that," he said.

The plates soon started disappearing, and the prefects rounded up the first-years. The feast was over. Sirius was rather glad too; he was too tired to even climb up to his dormitory.


	3. Chapter 3

_Many thanks to_ _ **hermes6034**_ _for his kind review!_

Chapter III  
Pride and Fury

Sirius woke up excited the following morning. He shared the dormitory with seven other boys, and so far he got on quite well with all of them. With James's help, he had tried the previous night to get that Remus Lupin to talk, but the boy only gave short, polite answers. He didn't seem like much of a Gryffindor.

"Come on, James, wake up!" He threw a pillow at his still sleeping friend, drawing laughs from Joseph and one Max Henderson.

They were soon ready to start their first day at Hogwarts. Halfway down to the Great Hall, however, James and Sirius realised they were completely and utterly lost.

"Whose idea were the bloody moving staircases?" James ranted. "This is so – so – bloody – stupid!" Each word was emphasized with a kick at the wooden stair rails.

Sirius brushed his long black hair out of his eyes and leaned over the banister to look for a familiar spot in the castle. Unsurprisingly, he found none. He'd thought, as a pure-blood, he'd at least be slightly better at navigating through the medieval castle than the Muggleborns, but he understood just as little as they did.

"And what exactly are you two doing?" a stern female voice sounded.

Barely managing to catch himself, Sirius straightened himself and spun around to see a fifth-year Gryffindor prefect – a plump, friendly-looking girl with frizzy red hair and a striking resemblance to Fabian and Gideon.

"Uh…" James ruffled his hair and adjusted his glasses nervously. "We got lost."

Her expression softened instantly. A smile tugged at her lips, which made Sirius beam at her as charmingly as he could in return. "You'll help us, right?" Unlike James, his mood hadn't at all been dampened by their failure to find the right way; Hogwarts was really exciting. He could feel the magic in the walls; the trapdoors, arches and corridors waiting to be explored. He'd have to investigate the castle over the week somehow; maybe there was some fascinating secret hidden behind all these misguiding portraits and confusing stairwells.

"Of course," said the girl. "Come, I'll take you to the Great Hall. It's still too early for class. And you shouldn't be missing breakfast either way."

"I'm sure we'd have a lot more time on our hands if it weren't for those bloody stairs," James complained again.

The prefect, who'd told them her name was Molly Prewett, led them past statues of armour and curious portraits, down the rotating staircases and into the mercifully familiar Great Hall. They thanked her and took their seats at the long, wooden table. Remus was already there, reading. The toast on his plate, yet to be touched, was surely growing cold.

"Come _on_ , Remus!" James exclaimed. "I'm sick of seeing you with your nose in that book. Why don't you come with us? It'll be fun, I promise! Oh– Sirius, look, the owls arrived!"

He pointed to the flock of owls gliding towards their respective owners, some with letters, others with small packages. James gleefully unwrapped the numerous sweets his parents had sent him, leaving aside their letter to be opened privately. He offered some to Sirius and Remus, which both boys gladly accepted. Sirius didn't know why James was so intent on befriending Remus, but it didn't bother him; he liked the quiet boy.

Much to Sirius's surprise, a handsome barn owl dropped a letter on his plate, bringing him out of his thoughts. Who could be writing to him? Certainly not his mother or father. He reasoned it was probably Regulus, who didn't have his own owl yet. Before he could pick it up, however, a chorus of groans and sympathetic words erupted from the table. James slapped his forehead with his hand in disbelief, Marlene patted Sirius gingerly on the shoulder, and the Prewett brothers snickered. "Go on then," said one of them, "open it."

"Yes, Sirius, open it," said the other. "No one's got a Howler on the first day before, you'll be a hero!"

And then it occurred to Sirius. "I'm not opening that thing."

"It will only get worse if you don't," Marlene warned him.

"Here–," James grabbed the letter from his friend's plate and tore it open, wincing in anticipation.

All of a sudden, the shrill voice of Walburga Black rang menacingly through the Great Hall. Sirius had never felt so humiliated. This was a nightmare – he couldn't even find peace at Hogwarts, a place he'd thought his sanctuary.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" the letter shrieked. "HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL YOUR FAMILY'S NAME IN THIS MANNER?! HAVE YOU NO SHAME, ASSOCIATING WITH FILTH LIKE MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS?! YOU ARE A DISGRACE, A STAIN ON THIS FAMILY! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR YOUR BETRAYAL, SIRIUS! NO SON OF MINE SHALL ACT SO! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DISGRACE, AN INSULT TO THE HOUSE OF BLACK! YOU FREAK! YOU FILTH! SHAME OF MY FLESH!"

It went on and on, hurling slurs and insults. Sirius felt miserable; the mockery he would surely face from his schoolmates would be unbearable. He hadn't expected his mother to be this open about her dislike for him, especially in the presence of Dumbledore and McGonagall and all the students.

His pessimistic thoughts were interrupted by loud applause from the Prewetts. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Fabian announced. "This is truly a great accomplishment!"

"All hail Sirius Black!" Gideon continued, "The very first first-year to receive a Howler before he's even started his classes!"

"Of course, he's done nothing to deserve it, which sort of lessens the significance of this great achievement, but we're proud of him nonetheless!"

"In fact, I'd say we should strip him of the honour altogether, as there was no point to that Howler whatsoever–,"

"But out of the kindness of our hearts, we'll let him keep the title."

They winked at him, and he smiled back, albeit a bit weakly. James offered him another chocolate bar. "Don't feel bad, mate."

"I don't," Sirius said decisively. "If my choices are disgrace to them, then I'm doing something right." This was something he'd heard Andromeda say over the summer; he'd thought about it long and hard, and the phrase still lingered in his subconscious. He'd have never thought of it that way if it hadn't been for her.

"Which one of them ratted you out?" Gideon asked. "Can't have been Andromeda, right? I've talked to her. She's alright. Well, she caught me breaking curfew, but that's not the point."

Sirius shook his head. "She wouldn't," he said. His face darkened suddenly. "Bellatrix wouldn't either; she prefers dealing with me herself. So it could only be Narcissa."

James threw his arm around his friend's shoulder. "We'll get back at her. We'll all help."

Joseph coughed and sputtered, but since the comment made Sirius laugh, he did nothing but glare furiously at James. "Fine," he said. "But I'm not getting into detention. My family don't understand all this magical stuff, but I'm pretty sure they know what detention is."

James shrugged. "Suit yourself." He grabbed his own bag with one hand and Sirius's with the other. "We've got Transfiguration, and with Slytherin at that, are you lot coming?" He tossed the bag back in Sirius's face. Sirius, still drinking his pumpkin juice not yet ready to catch it, ducked. Both boys watched in horror as it hit Lily Evans on the shoulder. Sirius got the feeling her already negative opinion on them would not in any way improve after this slight incident. It didn't particularly bother him anyway; if he could survive without his mother's approval, he was sure he didn't need a stranger's.

James, on the other hand, stood completely still, staring at Evans with his mouth slightly agape. Sirius pushed him forward. "Are you going to move any time soon, or are you too in love?" he said jokingly.

Having wasted more than enough time in the Great Hall, the first-year boys hurried towards the Transfiguration classroom, taking their seats with only a minute to spare. McGonagall offered them a lecture on the art that was her subject, the precision and concentration it required and, above all, the dire consequences of rulebreaking in her classroom.

Sirius couldn't help but notice that Snape, Evans, Remus Lupin and a quiet Slytherin girl were the only ones taking notes on McGonagall's explanations. If that enraged her, she said nothing.

"Your first task," she said, "will be to turn the matches I give you into needles."

James managed it on the first try, much to Sirius's and McGonagall's amazement. "Two points to Gryffindor," she said. "Well done, Mr Potter."

He looked exceptionally pleased with the praise he was receiving, if his confident smirk was anything to go by. Within a few minutes, Sirius, Remus and Evans had managed it as well, for which McGonagall awarded Gryffindor another three points. With fifteen minutes till the end of class, James tried to transfigure the needle a few more times, first into a quill, and then into a beetle. The first attempts failed so miserably, he'd asked McGonagall for a second match. Once he was sure he'd managed both spells though, he tapped Sirius on the shoulder and grinned. "Watch this."

Silently, James leaned forward out of his chair and pointed his wand at Snape's match. He whispered the incantation, and the match transformed into a small rat. A three-legged, shabby-looking rat, but a rat nonetheless, which launched itself at Snape in its fright, leaving him flaying his arms and gasping.

The two Gryffindors were laughing almost hysterically. The rest of the Gryffindor boys, as well as Marlene, soon joined in. McGonagall didn't seem to find it amusing, however, and quickly made the misshapen animal disappear with a flick of her wand.

"Potter! Black! That's twenty points from Gryffindor. You may not attack fellow students or in any way use magic to harm them!"

"Come on, Professor," James managed to say with a straight face, "Can't we at least have a few points for doing it correctly?"

Her nostrils flared dangerously. "Would you like to lose another twenty points for disrespect, Mr Potter?"

Remus kicked James under the desk, and he fell silent. Still, Sirius was impressed by the natural talent he seemed to possess for Transfiguration.

"Class dismissed," McGonagall said harshly. "Black, a word with you."

Sirius looked at James in alarm. "Me?" he mouthed, motioning to himself.

James shrugged. "I'll wait for you outside the classroom," he said quietly. Then he cracked a wide grin. "That way, if she's torturing you, I'll hear and come to save you."

Sirius rolled his eyes and waited before the classroom had emptied before slowly walking over to his Transfiguration professor. On one hand, he didn't want to get in trouble again, but on the other, he had to cover up for James if she blamed him.

"Have a seat, Mr Black."

He obeyed, and offered his typical charming smile. "Is there a problem, Professor?" he asked.

"Mr Black," McGonagall began after a moment of tense silence. "You are in my house. That means I am responsible for your well-being, in both a physical and emotional sense." She paused, fixating her stern glare on him. "The Howler you received from your mother was rather strongly-worded."

Sirius laughed nervously. "You know how the Blacks are, Professor. You've been teaching my cousin for seven years, right?"

Her lips thinned. "Mr Black, that is no laughing matter. If any… complications arise with your family, I urge you to find me immediately. Any problems they may have with your sorting can be addressed with me. Moreover, if you feel your safety is at risk, you may contact me and I will find a suitable solution."

He recognised his professor was being sincere, and nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Professor." He made to leave, but as he turned around, something changed his mind; he turned back to face his Head of House. "I don't think I'm safe," he said. "Not even at Hogwarts. Bellatrix…"

"I will keep an eye on Miss Black, if that is what concerns you," McGonagall said softly. "You may go now."

Sirius nodded his thanks. James, true to his word, had been waiting for him right outside.

"What did she want from you?"

"What, you weren't eavesdropping?"

James grinned. "Maybe a little bit, but I didn't hear everything, you know."

The rest of the day was rather uneventful; they had Potions with Professor Slughorn, who offered fifty points to anyone who brewed the first two potions without mistake. Unfortunately for Gryffindor, no one was particularly adept at Potions except Lily Evans, who nevertheless did not manage to produce a flawless potion.

By the end of the week, the first years had settled into a routine. James and Sirius would play jokes on Snape, whom they'd taken to calling "Snivellus", explore the castle, and try to get Remus to warm up. Despite the complications, Sirius loved Hogwarts.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV  
Snakes and Lions

"Not so brave are you now, Black?" a voice jeered from behind.

Sirius didn't stop running. He had tried to defend himself; no Gryffindor would go down without a fight. Especially not he. But his knowledge of magic still began and ended at a few simple charms, which would hardly aid him in a battle against an entire gang of Slytherins, some even three years older.

Without looking over his shoulder, he sent a Stinging Hex in their general direction. An unfamiliar voice yelped, and Sirius grinned in satisfaction. He had always liked believing that the sadistic streak present in many of his relatives was not something he possessed. Yet he found it pleasurable, still, toying with the idea that he'd one day put his opponents in their place.

"Filthy Muggle lover!" Nott snarled. Spells and curses flew at Sirius faster than lightning. He ducked and rolled to the side, unable to defend himself otherwise. He didn't know what these curses did and had no desire to find out. Knowing the Slytherins, none would have been painless.

A thought occurred to him as he registered those words. He launched himself at Nott, taking the older boy by surprise. They both collapsed, but Sirius – lighter and a lot more agile – quickly resumed his position. "How shameful, Nott," he said mockingly, "Can't even defend yourself against Muggle tactics." He punched Avery in the nose and jabbed his wand under Parkinson's chin. The delight born from his unexpected victory, however, was short-lived; Mulciber grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him into the wall before drawing his wand and steadying it between Sirius's eyes.

"Traitor," he spat. "We ought to kill you here and now for what you've done." Hate blazed in his beady eyes – a sight rather odd to Sirius, who until then had thought Mulciber was only capable of staring blankly with his drool trickling down his chin.

Voicing that thought had not been a clever decision on Sirius's part.

" _Alarte Ascendare!_ "

Sirius shot up into the air, nearly hitting the castle's arched ceiling.

But he didn't come down.

He realised that Mulciber was somehow keeping him elevated, possibly to make it harder for him to attack. Trying hard not to scream out in fear and shock, he drew his own wand. _What was that spell Uncle Alphard had taught him?_

" _Mucus ad Nauseam!_ " he yelled, trying to keep his wand steady as he pointed towards Mulciber.

It hit Parkinson instead, but Sirius was content either way. Except for the fact that he was about twenty-five feet in the air with no way to come down.

" _Petrificus Totalus!_ " A new voice had joined now. But the curse wasn't directed at him. Suddenly, the electric blue beam of light extending from Mulciber's wand disappeared; his body froze with his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes, devoid of all thought and emotion, as they usually were, staring up at Sirius, who was quickly plummeting towards the marble floor.

" _Arresto Momentum!_ " said the same voice, and Sirius was once more safely grounded.

"Remus!" he exclaimed. He hadn't expected his saviour to be the shy, unspeaking boy. In fact, he'd got the distinct impression that Remus was completely indifferent to him and James. "How did you do that?"

"Come on," Remus said, "we don't have time." He grabbed Sirius by the forearm and they fled from the second-floor corridor before their enemies could catch up to them. The two first-years ran for what seemed like hours through the castle's winding passages, only stopping when they were finally in Binns' classroom.

"Where were you?" James hissed.

"Long story," Sirius said, still trying to catch his breath. "Though I'd probably be in the Hospital Wing if it hadn't been for Remus. Guess some good does come out of all that reading you do." He grinned at his fellow Gryffindor, who, for the first time since the start of term, offered a genuine smile back.

"Well I couldn't leave you there," he said. "It would've been a tragic fate. Can you imagine your last sight in this world being Mulciber's face?"

"They attacked you?" James demanded. He pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and straightened it out before dipping his quill in ink. "Wait. I've got the best idea."

Sirius felt intrigued. James's ideas were rarely good, if he had to be honest with himself, but anything was more interesting than listening to Binns' endless drawl.

"We're turning the Slytherin Common Room red," James said brightly. He beamed at them, looking all too proud of himself. "Since they're so bloody obsessed with our House, we should give them a little present."

"James, that's nonsense," said Remus. "Let's not provoke them further." They'll only become angrier, and Sirius will be the one who gets attacked."

"Let's do it!" Sirius exclaimed, not minding Remus's reprimand.

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Are you in, Remus? Come on, it will be fun!"

So while Binns went on and on, the three Gryffindors planned.

"First we'll need an efficient way to get to the dungeons. No one except the Slytherins ever goes there unless they've got Potions," said Remus. "If the three of us do, we'll draw a lot of suspicion."

"And we'll also need the password," James added.

"Should I ask my cousin? I don't know if it will work, she won't want me lurking in there, but I can try."

James shook his head, still grinning. "I've got a better way. I'll show you after class."

Sirius nodded. Excitement was bubbling in him, he could already envision the dungeons – the furniture turned crimson, the dormitories adorned with gold banners. "Great," he said, grinning back. James's enthusiasm was really contagious. "We could use a colour-changing charm for the walls, probably some furniture too. But we want it permanent, don't we?"

James nodded emphatically.

"We'll go to the library after class," said Remus. The other two grimaced, but he pretended not to notice. "We need to research."

And research they did, for the better part of two hours.

"Remus," Sirius said in a whining tone, "I'm bored and I've found nothing. I mean I did find some interesting things but they've got nothing to do with colour-changing charms."

It was beyond him how Remus could spend so long in that blasted place; it was dusty and had a strange, damp smell which he was already beginning to despise. The books lining the shelves bored him too, even if he didn't quite know what they were about.

"Well look harder."

"Wait– I've got it! This is it, but we'll need to practice; it's fourth-year level."

" _Colovaria Aeternabilis_ ," he read, " _causes an object or animal to permanently change its colour. It differs from the simple Colour Change Charm in that it is a form of Transfiguration. The target is not charmed, but rather transfigured to ensure a permanent result._ "

"Easy!" James exclaimed. "I'm great at Transfiguration!"

"And very modest too," Remus mumbled under his breath. "Let's see what your plan for sneaking into the dungeons is then."

James led them all the way to Gryffindor Tower. The weather was still rather warm, meaning most students had taken to sitting around the Black Lake to study, preferring it to being cooped up in the Common Room. "This is it," said James, retrieving a shimmering cloak from his trunk. "My dad gave it to me, it's an Invisibility Cloak. It's been in my family forever."

Sirius was almost jumping for joy. "Let me try it!" And indeed, upon looking down, he realised his own body had vanished. He waved his arm, but the cloak kept it hidden from the rest of the world. "Amazing," he whispered. He pulled the cloak off and handed it back to James. "So here's what we do, right – we follow the little snakes to the dungeons, we'll overhear the password, and once it's empty we'll go in."

"What if there's a portrait or something?" Remus asked. "It will probably know we're from a different house."

"The portraits aren't too focused," said Sirius. "They might not even notice. But I _am_ a Black, unfortunately; we'll just nick a pair of Slytherin robes from somewhere and I'll get in easily. Hell, even the portraits are probably sick of looking at my family's stupid faces all these years."

As it turned out, there were no portraits. Just a simple stone door, with neither a handle, nor a knob. The three boys looked on from under the Invisibility Cloak, waiting for someone to get through. "Stop moving," Remus breathed. "You'll give us out."

A few short minutes later, it turned out to be Evan Rosier who ultimately gave the Gryffindors what they needed. But once they'd overheard the password, Sirius was in a foul mood. "Pure-blood," he hissed. "Can you believe it?" He stomped all the way up to Gryffindor Tower, his two friends trailing behind. "I hate them. I hate every single bloody pure-blood supremacist. Those self-righteous, stuck-up idiots…" His vicious raving wasn't directed at anyone in particular. But he felt much better after his colourfully worded rant. He'd never been able to speak that way in Grimmauld Place. Even if his mother's wrath failed to intimidate him, he rarely had someone to express such opinions to.

His disposition only improved a good three hours later, once the three had successfully left the dungeons, wands still in their hands. Practising the spell hadn't been particularly troubling; it was waiting for the Common Room to empty that had been significantly more difficult. At least, everyone had gone down to dinner, and they were free to work.

"Won't we get in trouble once they realise we were the only ones who missed dinner?" Remus asked worriedly.

"We'll come up with something," said Sirius, taking one last look at their masterpiece. "I like it better this way, don't you? It looks less cold."

"What about the lights?" James said. "Should we leave them green?"

Remus pulled his sleeves up and grinned. "I've got this," he said with more confidence than they'd ever heard from him, pointing his want at the ceiling. On the second try, he managed to transform the lighting to a pinkish red, evoking James's unrestrained enthusiasm. Sirius gave a victorious laugh too, but not without noticing the scars and gashes on Remus's arms.

James seemed to be sharing his thoughts. "Remus, mate, what happened to you?"

"What–," He violently pulled his sleeves back down, as if realizing his mistake. "Nothing," he said shakily. "I fell into a rosebush. Flying accident."

James raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

"Come on," Remus said. "We've got to get out of here before they return." He was right, so neither of the two boys commented on the abrupt change of subject.

To avoid arousing suspicion, they went back to the Great Hall. "Listen," Sirius told Marlene. "McGonagall likes you. If she asks, tell her we were in the library during dinner."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"You'll see. Just cover up for us, alright?"

Marlene shrugged and helped herself to some fruit. "Alright," she said through a mouthful of strawberries, "but don't expect McGonagall to believe me. Do you even know where the library is?"

"I do," Remus said defensively. "I don't know about the other two though."

The four made their way back to their Common Room in a pleasant conversation. Max, one of the Muggleborns, soon caught up to them, looking winded. His brown hair was messy and his blue eyes held a worried quality which instantly drew his schoolmates' attention.

"Professor McGonagall wants to see you," he said in between pants. "She said you should bring Fabian and Gideon Prewett with you."

"But we just got up the stairs," James whined. "What does she want?"

"Take a guess, moron," Sirius said, slapping the back of his head. "Why would _Gryffindor's_ Head of House want to see the _Gryffindor_ students that have lost the most points so far after the _Slytherin_ Common Room was vandalised with _Gryffindor_ colours?"

Remus snickered. "At least we know the Hat was right to put you in this house," he told James. "I don't assume Ravenclaw crossed its mind?"

"Hats don't have minds, Remus."

"Whatever. We should go."


End file.
